It was another late night at the shop, everyone had already gone and I had settled myself behind John's big desk when Tommy came in. He looked surprised to see me. "Sorry, I thought our John had left a light on." he confessed. Tommy didn't look like his usual self, he looked tired and like he had a lot on his mind. "Everything okay, Tom?" I asked, setting down my pencil and sitting back in the chair. He paused for a moment, watching me. He was trying to decide whether or not to tell me. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to a chair. I nodded at him, opening the desk drawer and pulling out two glasses and a bottle of Irish whiskey. I poured us both a glass and pushed one towards Tommy. "You look like you want to tell me something but you're not sure if you should." I observed, looking at him over the top of my glass as I took a sip.
He ignored me, taking a sip of his drink and looking to the space next to me. Tommy and I had always had a strange relationship. Polly had taken me in just after Arthur Shelby Senior left, I was a year younger than Ada so we quickly became best friend. John was just thirteen and was busy following Tommy and Arthur around. Ada was a popular girl and had many friends, I often got left behind with Polly looking after baby Finn while she went out and played. Arthur was a typical warm and friendly big brother and John chose to ignore me most of the time. Tommy, however, always went out of his way to talk to me. He'd ask me about my day and encouraged me to go to school, making sure I had all the books I needed and more. This started to fizzle away a few years later, when John started to show an interest. He did still come to me to talk about what was going on, to get my opinions and thoughts.
He finished his drink then looked at me again. I watched him as he watched me. "How are you and John?" he asked. "We are good, thank you." I replied. "He said you were thinking about getting your own house." he responded. "We were." I smiled. He nodded his head slightly then put the glass on the table. He stood up. He obviously had decided not to tell me whatever it was. "Don't stay down here too late. The boys are all having a drink at the Garrison. You should join us." he told me. "I'll see how I go here." I told him, finishing off my drink. He smiled and nodded at me again before heading to the door. He paused at the door, turning back to me. "Are you happy?" he asked me, sincerity in his eyes. "I am, Tommy." I told him, softly. He nodded again then proceeded to leave.
The next day, I came down to the office earlier than usual. I hadn't made it to the Garrison and I had woken up without John beside me and couldn't sleep again. Polly was already up when I got to the kitchen. "You're up early." She commented, eyeing me suspiciously. "Couldn't sleep." I shrugged. I went through to the shop and pulled out the big books from the safe, dropping them onto one of the side desks. Polly looked up at me as the noise echoed around the room. "You might as well use Johns or Tommys office. They've buggered off to the fair for the day." She called to me. "Well, it was nice of them to let me know!" I responded with a sigh.
I lifted the books back up and made my way to Johns office, kicking the door open as I went. I placed the books on the desk and went back towards the kitchen to fetch a cup of tea from Polly. "That'll be why John wasn't in bed this morning then." I told her, taking a sip from the steaming mug. "That'll be why you're up so early. Couldn't go your usual few rounds." she said, a playful sparkle in her eye. I rolled my eyes. "I have no idea what you are talking about." I responded, taking another sip of the tea. She raised her eyebrows but dropped the conversation. I sat at the table, cradling the warm mug in my hands. "The four of them set off early this morning." she told me, giving me a look. She wasn't happy about the impromptu trip either. "I looked into Adas room when I got up, think she's still got my dress." I told Polly, looking at my tea. "Did you ask her?" Polly asked, knowing I was going somewhere with the statement. "She wasn't there again." I said, looking up at the woman. Polly shook her head, putting a plate of bread and butter infront of me. "She's going to get herself in trouble." I told Polly, taking a bite of the food. "There is nothing that you or I can tell her." She reminded me, taking a seat next to me. She was right, of course.
A few more bites into the bread and the back door flew open. "Polly! The coppers are smashin' up houses on Great Barr and Keeley." the young lad told us. "They're sayin' Tommy said it was alright." he continued, breathing heavily. Polly and I shared a look, with only the two of us and junior recruits left there was no way we would win against the coppers. "Okay, Ben. Get the word around that it wasn't okay and that Tommy and the boys will deal with it when they get back." I told the young boy. He nodded eagerly and ran back out, letting the door slam behind him. "Right, eat that and start sorting out some cash for the families. A couple of pounds each and a pound extra for the widows with children, the boys can hand it out once they are back." she told me. I nodded, picking up the plate and taking it through to the shop.
I had counted out all the money and cleaned the shop from top to bottom by lunchtime. Polly and I had thought it best not to open the shop, especially means there were only the two of us to man it as Ada still hadn't turn up. Polly had gone to church so I made myself a sandwich with the leftover ham, kicked off my heels and curled up on the armchair in front of the fire in the living room with a book. I must have dozed off as when I woke to the sound of the front door opening it was getting dark outside. I looked over to the doorway to see Finn watching me. "Shut up! Evie is sleeping!" he shouted behind him, causing me to laugh. "Well, I am not after you banged that door!" I laughed, turning to stretch out my legs. Polly must have come home at some point while I was sleeping as I had a blanket over me and there were fresh logs on the fire. John and Arthur traipsed into the hallway. John looked at me, covered in a blanket and sleep in my eyes and smiled. Arthur slapped Finn round the back of the head. "Why'd you wake 'er for? Bein' too bloody noisy." he scolded. Finn ran off to the kitchen, rubbing the back of his head. "Hello, Arthur." I laughed. He grumbled a greeting back to me, following his youngest brother.
I stretched my legs and arms from me, giving out a big yawn as John crossed the room towards me. He wrapped his arms around my middle and pulled me up to him, blanket stuck between us. I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck and legs around his waist. I went to bury my head into his neck but noticed a few red spots on his otherwise pristine white collar. I moved my body back slightly to look at his face. John had no cuts or bruised but his cap had the trademark red stains that meant he had cut someone. I raised my eyebrows in questioning. "The Lees were running their mouths about our mum." he explained. I nodded in understanding before giving him a passionate kiss on the lips, he pressed me tighter to him and my hand went to the back of his head.
"When you two are finished." Polly interrupted. We both looked to see her in the doorway to the kitchen, one hand on her hip and cigarette in the other. The look on her face reminded me of when she first caught John and I together, she was trying to be the strict parent figure but she was secretly pleased. "We were just coming." John told her, still holding me in his arms. She moved into the room slightly, clearing the path to the kitchen and waved her arm. She wanted us there right now. John placed a kiss on my cheek and carried me into the kitchen, placing me on a chair. Ada must have come back at some point in the afternoon as well as she was sat opposite me. Tommy, Arthur, Scudboat and Lovelock were there as well.
They each had a glass of ale in their hands and John helped himself to one from the bucket on the table. "Right, while you boys have been off having fun, the coppers decided to smash up the houses along Great Bar and Keeley. The coppers told everyone Arthur'd agreed to is when he was arrested. They said the Peaky Blinders had cleared out to the fair to let them do it." Polly began. "I never said nothing to that bloody copper about smashing up bloody houses." Arthur said, looking round the room at us all. "All right. Which pubs did they do?" Tommy asked. "The Guns, the Chain and the Marquis. All the ones that pay you to protect them." I told him, Polly handed me a cup of tea and lighted up another cigarette. "Only one they didn't touch was the Garrison. Make sure people think we were in on it." Polly added. "He's smart, this copper." She finished. "I had Ben and some of the other scouts go round telling people you would sort it when you got back and I have made up some money to give out." I told them all, pointing to the stacks of notes on the table in the shop. "So, go on. Drink your beers and get out. You'd better show people you are still the cocks of the walk. Evie, go with them. The women know you, they trust you." Polly finished. Scudboat, Lovelock and John put down their beers and headed out towards the shop. "Two pounds for the families, three for the widows and five for the pubs." I shouted, going through to the living room to retrieve my shoes.
Arthur was putting his coat on when I walked back into the kitchen. "What about you, Tommy?" He questioned. "I have to go to Charlie's to stable the horse. She looked footsore in the box." He responded. Arthur didn't look happy about this answer but dropped it. "Horse?" I asked, John handed me my coat. "Yeah, do the rounds then get one of the boys to walk you up to the yard. I want to see what you think." Tommy told me, stubbing out his cigarette. I nodded, pulling out my curls from the thick coat. "Go on. Let them see your faces." Polly instructed, gently pushing us from the kitchen.
A/N What do you think of this one? I wasn't sure whether Tommy should confide in Evie or not, what do you think? I have two very different paths for the direction of this story and still not sure which one to go down! Let me know what you thought and what you think should happen with Evie/John or Evie/Tommy!